Tag: KJ Bolden

Perry Thompson reveals deciding factor for choosing Auburn 

Thompson wants to reach his full potential, and Hugh Freeze can get him there.

Auburn fans were ecstatic to learn that five-star wide receiver [autotag]Perry Thompson[/autotag] flipped his commitment from Alabama to the Tigers.

Monday, he revealed why he made the switch.

During Baldwin County High School Media Day, Foley High School head coach told the media that Thompson’s flip was not as much of a surprise as most thought.

“The kids probably had a pool going on where Perry would end up,” head coach Deric Scott said. “Everyone has kind of been on high alert for the last three weeks. It’s a testament to Perry and his talent. I just told him wherever he goes, I’m behind him. He made a decision he is comfortable with and he feels like will be best for him, and we are happy for him.”

Thompson also took the podium at Baldwin County Media Day, where he revealed his reasoning behind the switch.

“I’d say probably a month ago, I looked at Nick Saban and Hugh Freeze — Nick Saban is a good coach, all the stuff he’s had through college football. I know he specializes with (defensive backs), and my main position is receiver,” Thompson said Monday. “Hugh Freeze has got a background of developing receivers at a higher level. Just that, how you get receivers to their highest point.”

Now that he has committed to Auburn, Thompson says that his main focus is trying to recruit five-star safety [autotag]KJ Bolden[/autotag]. He will have a week to throw out his best pitch, as Bolden is set to commit this Saturday.

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Is Ohio State falling out of favor for 5-star safety with ties to the Buckeyes?

It’s looking like the Buckeyes won’t be hearing a BOOM on August 5. #GoBucks

Although it seemed like [autotag]Ohio State[/autotag] was going to have a leg up in the recruitment of Georgia 2024 safety [autotag]KJ Bolden[/autotag], that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore.

The Buckeyes safeties coach, [autotag]Perry Eliano[/autotag], is cousins with Bolden and for a while, it looked like the family connection would win out in his recruitment. Unfortunately for Ohio State, that doesn’t seem like it will be enough to push the 6-foot, 1-inch, 185-pound safety to land in Columbus.

In an X post, the website formerly known as Twitter, by On3, Bolden is quoted as saying that his recent visit to Auburn has pushed the Tigers into his top two. The perceived favorite has been Georgia and many thought Ohio State was right behind the Bulldogs, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

Bolden is set to make his commitment on August 5, and we will find out where the top-rated safety and No. 7 overall player according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings will commit to. As of right now, it doesn’t seem like it will be the Buckeyes.

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Auburn makes late push for KJ Bolden at Big Cat Weekend

Can Auburn lock in their third five-star of the 2024 recruiting cycle?

Auburn has gained significant recruiting momentum the last two weeks by landing several of the nation’s top names from the 2024 recruiting class.

During Big Cat Weekend, the Tigers snagged two wide receivers: four-star [autotag]Malcolm Simmons[/autotag] and five-star [autotag]Perry Thompson[/autotag], who flipped to Auburn from Alabama.

Despite the exciting haul, [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and his staff are not satisfied. They are making a late push for five-star safety [autotag]KJ Bolden[/autotag]. Bolden is set to announce his commitment next Saturday and spent his final weekend ahead of the announcement by visiting Auburn for Big Cat Weekend.

The visit was successful; Bolden almost pledged a week early.

“The way that coach (Hugh) Freeze just gave me that great talk in the office, he definitely almost had me commit today,” Bolden told Christian Clemente of Auburn Undercover.

Bolden will have a week to think things over. He will choose among  Auburn, Georgia, Alabama, Florida State and Ohio State on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CT on On3’s YouTube channel. He shared his thoughts on Auburn with On3’s Chad Simmons after releasing his top schools last week.

“I’m definitely very interested in Auburn. Coach Freeze, I told him when I went up there, ‘Coach I’ve got to see if you can get an OV, I’m not sure yet.’ And he said if you give me an OV, just make sure it’s the last one. That’s how he makes things shake for sure, and I made sure he got that last OV. Freeze and his staff have made Bolden one of their top priorities since they took over, even as other national programs are in pursuit and have been for some time They just really stay communicated, and I knew Auburn was really interested when coaches at my school were talking about Auburn and how badly they want me. When I got down there, the family environment was like no other.

Bolden is the No. 1 safety in the nation for the 2024 recruiting class and the No. 3 prospect from the state of Georgia. As it stands a week out from his commitment date, Georgia is the favorite with four crystal ball predictions from 247Sports. On3 gives Georgia a 44.1% chance to land his commitment.

Freeze has swayed one prospect away from Georgia in [autotag]Demarcus Riddick[/autotag] this cycle, can he do it again with Bolden?

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5-star KJ Bolden sets commitment time, drops possible hint in recruitment

Did five-star Buford athlete KJ Bolden give a hint as to where he plans to play college football?

Five-star athlete KJ Bolden is ready to announce where he will play college football. Bolden, a member of the 2024 recruiting class, is the top-ranked safety recruit in the nation.

Bolden is a versatile football player for Buford High School in Buford, Georgia. Bolden also plays wide receiver. He is one of five-star Georgia football quarterback commit Dylan Raiola’s top receiving targets.

Bolden is the No. 7 recruit in the class of 2024. He is the second-ranked recruit in Georgia. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound athlete plans to announce his decision on Aug. 5 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Bolden will decide among Georgia, Alabama, Florida State, Ohio State, and Auburn. Georgia is favored to land Bolden but Ohio State and Florida State also have a shot.

KJ Bolden may have dropped a hint as to where he will play college football. In an interview with some of his high school teammates, KJ Bolden said, “I go to the University of … I go to Buford.”

Bolden caught himself, but only two of Bolden’s top schools would continue the phrase the five-star safety was starting: The University of Alabama and the University of Georgia.

Auburn University, Florida State University and Ohio State University don’t fit the sentence Bolden was starting.

Here’s a look at Bolden’s interview:

Bolden and Raiola are already connecting on passes in practice:

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Demarcus Riddick flips to Auburn, snaps Tigers’ five-star drought

He is set to be Auburn’s first five-star since they landed Owen Pappoe and Bo Nix in 2019.  

[autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] has landed his first five-star prospect at Auburn. Flipping linebacker [autotag]Demarcus Riddick[/autotag] from Georgia and Kirby Smart on Wednesday afternoon and beating out Nick Saban and Alabama in the process.

Stealing a recruit from your rivals is always sweet, but when it’s a player of Riddick’s caliber it’s even sweeter. If he signs with Auburn, he will be their first five-star signee since [autotag]Owen Pappoe[/autotag] and [autotag]Bo Nix[/autotag] in 2019.

Riddick is the No. 26 overall player and No. 3 linebacker in the 247Sports Composite ranking. The Clanton native is also the No. 3 player from Alabama.

He is Auburn’s 12 commitment of the class and their second top 100 player, joining quarterback [autotag]Walker White[/autotag]. Their class now ranks 27th in the country and 11th in the SEC.

His recruitment is exactly how Auburn can get back to competing for SEC Championships. While they have landed just two five-star prospects over the past five recruiting cycles, Alabama and Georgia both landed four last year alone.

That talent gap only increases over a four-year span and is a major reason why Auburn is currently riding a three-game losing streak against the Crimson Tide and a six-game one against the Bulldogs.

Riddick might not be the only five-star Auburn lands this year either, the Tigers are a finalist for [autotag]KJ Bolden[/autotag] and are pushing hard to flip five-star wide receiver [autotag]Perry Thompson[/autotag] from Alabama.

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Key Auburn target KJ Bolden locks in commitment time

It’s down to Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, Alabama and Ohio State for the best safety in the country.

[autotag]KJ Bolden[/autotag] is one of the top recruits in the country and Auburn is one of the finalists for the five-star safety. His recruitment is nearing an end as he is set to make his commitment on Aug. 5 at 6:30 p.m. CT on the On3 YouTube Channel.

He will be deciding between Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, Alabama and Ohio State. The Bufford, Georiga product has officially visited Georgia, Alabama and Ohio State with one scheduled to Auburn on Oct. 6, which is their bye week. He is also set to be on the Plains for Big Cat Weekend, his last visit before his commitment.

Bolden is the No. 8 overall player and No. 1 safety in the On3 Industry Ranking. He is also the No. 2 player from Georgia.

Bolden is being recruited by [autotag]Zac Etheridge[/autotag] and [autotag]Wesley McGriff[/autotag] who have already teamed up to land four-star cornerbacks [autotag]Jalyn Crawford[/autotag], A’mon Lane, Jayden Lewis and three-star safety Kensley Faustin. While each one of them was a key target, Bolden would kick Auburn’s class to another level.

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Breaking down Ohio State football targets’ scheduled commitment dates

Some OSU recruiting commitment dates to keep track of. #GoBucks

We’re still more than a month away from the college football season and the chance to see YOUR Ohio State Buckeyes make another run at some special things. But in the high-stakes game of big-time college football recruiting, the calendar is a year-round one.

Especially this time of year when the latest cycle’s prospects are getting ready for their senior year of high school right after and during some of the official visits that can lay the groundwork for getting their recruitment out of the way. The thought is to get things done a few months before the early signing period in December to concentrate on the upcoming season.

Ohio State is building on an elite class, one ranked as the No. 2 class in the country for 2024, but the Buckeyes are still trying to add a few more pieces to what’s already in the cupboard to finish it.

There have been several OSU targets that have announced their commitment dates and we’re here to keep track of it all for you. Here’s what we know those still considering the Buckeyes that have set dates to let the world know where they will be playing their college football.

5-star recruit KJ Bolden sets commitment date

Who are five-star safety KJ Bolden’s top five schools ahead of his August commitment?

Five-star safety recruit KJ Bolden is ready to decide where he will play college football. Bolden will announce his commitment on Aug. 5.

KJ Bolden is a standout football player for Buford High School in Buford, Georgia. Bolden is ranked as the No. 6 recruit in the class of 2024. He is the second-ranked recruit in Georgia, which is loaded with talent in the 2024 cycle, and is the top-ranked safety in the county.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound athlete runs track at a very high level. The five-star recruit has excellent speed and is one of the top track athletes in Georgia.

Bolden primarily plays receiver and safety for Buford. The five-star has elite acceleration and is a threat to score a touchdown on any play as a wide receiver.

Who are KJ Bolden’s top schools ahead of his August commitment?

Ohio State football target KJ Bolden set to announce on August 5

Ohio State is in the running for another top-rated player in the country. #GoBucks

Ohio State football has seen a nice little streak of commitments recently, and surely more are to come. One that Ryan Day and the coaching staff would love to grab is five-star safety, KJ Bolden. It looks like we’ll have to wait a little longer because Bolden has announced that he’ll make his commitment on August 5.

Bolden recently visited OSU on an official visit and seemed to have a positive experience. He and defensive backs coach Perry Elliano are cousins, which can’t hurt the Buckeye’s chances. Earlier in the year, Bolden had this to say about Ohio State and Elliano.

“I would love to play for my cousin, be coached by one of the greats who coached Sauce Gardner, Coby Bryant, all the guys that came from Cincinnati.” KJ Bolden

Bolden has narrowed his choices down to five schools. In addition to the Buckeyes, the five-star safety is considering, Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, and Georgia. The Bulldogs currently hold several crystal ball predictions to land Bolden.

However, don’t underestimate the power of family or the sway of other relationships. Bolden’s Buford High School teammate, Eddrick Houston, the No. 4 rated edge rusher in the land, visited Columbus on the same weekend and is now considered an Ohio State lean. Could both be headed north of the Mason-Dixon Line?

We’ll find out on August 5 if OSU did enough to sway the No. 1 safety prospect (No. 6 overall) to wear scarlet and gray.

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Five-star safety KJ Bolden puts Auburn in final five, sets commitment date

He is deciding between Auburn, Alabama, Georgia, FSU and Ohio State

[autotag]KJ Bolden[/autotag] is one of the most coveted recruits in the country and on Sunday he trimmed his list of schools to five. The five-star safety will be deciding between Auburn, Alabama, Georgia, FSU and Ohio State when he announces his commitment on Aug. 5.

Bolden is from Buford, Georgia, and has taken several trips to Auburn. most recently for A-Day. He has yet to take an official visit to Auburn but has one set for Oct. 6, which is Auburn’s bye week. The 6-foot-1, 185-pounder is also expected to visit for Big Cat Weekend.

He is the No. 6 overall player and No. 1 safety in the 247Sports Composite ranking. He is also the No. 2 player from Georgia.

Bolden is being recruited by Zac Etheridge and Wesley McGriff who have already teamed up to land three four-star defensive backs in [autotag]A’mon Lane[/autotag], [autotag]Jayden Lewis[/autotag] and [autotag]Kensley Faustin[/autotag]. While each one of them were top targets, Bolden would kick Auburn’s class to another level.

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